National Express train operator c2c has again been named the UK’s most punctual rail company, while the latest independent research shows that c2c passengers are the happiest in Britain with the punctuality of their train service. According to new statistics published by Network Rail, 97.4% of c2c trains arrived on time in January. This was the most punctual service provided by any UK train operator, and compares to the national average of 87.9% punctuality. This means that over the past year, 96.7% of all c2c services have arrived on time, which is also the best score in the country.

Meanwhile the latest results from the independent National Rail Passengers Survey show that passengers recognise and appreciate c2c’s punctuality record. 91% of passengers surveyed by Passenger Focus, the rail industry’s watchdog, said they were satisfied with the punctuality of their c2c train. In comparison, 77% of passengers across the UK are satisfied with rail punctuality.

c2c Managing Director Julian Drury said: “We’re proud that c2c passengers are the most satisfied in the UK with the punctuality of their train service. Over the coming year we aim to extend our reputation for reliability while delivering other journey improvements for passengers, like new ticket discounts and the new c2c Smartcard.”

The picture was less rosy for Abellio Greater Anglia, however. The Southend Victoria to Liverpool Street operator only managed an overall satisfaction score of 46% as 30% of passengers said they experienced a delay on their last journey.